Ignition systems for internal combustion engines



April 3, 1962 w. J. JAEGER 3,028,443

IGNITION SYSTEMS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 14, 1957 I-NVENTI Wilbert J Jae BYWIQ r M I H/S A r TOR/V5 rs aired States Ohio Filed Aug. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 678,189 7 (Ilaims. (Cl. 123-148) The present invention relates to internal combustion engines having a plurality of cylinders and, more particularly, to an ignition system for such engines.

In the conventional ignition system for an internal combustion engine employing a mixture of gasoline and air as the fuel, a timed spark is employed for initiating the explosion of the mixture in each of the cylinders. Timing mechanism actuated by the main crankshaft is employed. This timing mechanism ordinarily comprises a shaft driven at a suitable speed, generally one-half the speed of the main crankshaft, and this shaft is utilized for actuating contact points in the timing mechanism for timing the spark accurately in respect of the positions of the piston in the cylinders. lized for making and breaking the circuit to the primary of a coil and a distributor is employed for distributing the spark to the appropriate cylinder when the gases therein have been compressed and the piston is at or near top dead center. A single spark is thus created in each cylinder at the desired time, which may be slightly in advance of the time when the piston reaches top dead center.

In accordance with the present invention, 'I employ the timing mechanism for timing the making and breaking of the circuit to the primary of the coil, but, by means of the apparatus described hereinafter, I am able to omit the distributor for distributing the spark to the various cylinders. More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, I am able to eliminate the cap portion of the distributor, the rotor for distributing the spark, and the adjusting mechanism for automaticallyadvaucing or retarding the spark.

I am able to eliminate the parts just mentioned by providing resistors, capacitors or inductors in the circuit to each of the spark plugs. By using such resistors, capacitors or inductors, the current pulse passes to each of the cylinders, but, due to the increased resistance in the spark gap of the cylinder or cylinders having the greatest pres-sure resulting from the compression of the gases therein, a spark of sufiiciently high voltage to explode the mixture therein is obtained. At the same time, the current pulse passes to the plugs in the other cylinders, but, due to the fact that the pressure therein is low and the gases uncompressed, explosions do not take place in those cylinders but only in the cylinder or cylinders having the high pressure and high resistance in the spark gap.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments of my invention.

FIGURE 1 diagrammatically illustrates my invention as applied to an eight-cylinder engine having a single spark plug for each cylinder;

FIGURE 2 is a cut-away view of an engine of the V-8 type showing the mounting of the spark plug in one of the cylinders; and

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 illustrating a system utilizing alternating current as the power source instead of direct current, as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, the power source cornprises a battery 2 and a coil 3. The negative terminal of the battery 2 is connected to ground, as indicated at 4, and the positive terminal is connected by a conductor 5 to one side of the primary winding 6 of the coil 3 These timing contacts are utif: 3,h28,443 Egg Patented Apr. 3, 196

through an ignition switch 7. The other side of the primary is controlled by a timer, being connected by a conductor 8 to a contact arm 9, which is pivotally mounted at 10 and which has an end portion 11 which is adapted to cooperate with the driven shaft 12, which is driven by gearing from the main camshaft (not shown); As the shaft 12 rotates, it actuates the arm 9 to bring together or separate the contact carried by said arm and the fixed contact 13. This fixed contact 13 is connected to ground, as indicated at 14, and, as the contacts are brought together or separated, the current flow through the primary 6 is caused to flow or is interrupted. The secondary 15 of the coil 3 is connected at one side to ground, as indicated at 15, and at the other side is connected by means of a conductor 17 to each of the resistors 18. Each resistor at the end opposite the connection just described is connected to an electrode 19 of an adjacent spark plug 20. Each spark plug is threaded into one endof a recess or ignition chamber 21 so that the two electrodes of the plug extend into the recess. The other end of each recess or ignition chamber 21 is threaded, as indicated at 22, so that it can be threaded into a suitable opening in the wall of the cylinder so that it may be brought into communication with the combustion chamber of the cylinder on which it is mounted. Each plug is grounded in the conventional manner so as to complete the electrical circuit.

Thus it will be seen that each plug and its resistor are connected in series and that the pairs of plugs and resistors are connected in parallel in the electrical circuit; and, as each current pulse passes through the conductor 17 in timed relationship with the movement of the pistons of the cylinders, it passes to each of the plugs. The electrical resistance of the spark gap is highest in the cylinder having the highest pressure at that instant and a hot, high voltage spark is created therein by the pulse and the mixture in such cylinder is thereby exploded.v

While I have shown an ignition chamber or recess for each of the spark plugs in the system illustrated in FIG- URE 1, it will be understood that the recess or ignition chamber is not an absolute necessity and that the electrodes can be positioned directly in the main combustion chambers of the cylinders.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the system illustrated in FIGURE 1 may be used in conjunction with an engine of the type shown in FIGURE 2. As shown in FIGURE 2, each cylinder 30 is provided with a piston 31 which is connected with a suitable camshaft (not shown). The camshaft, in conventional manner, drives the timing shaft 12 (FIG. 1). The camshaft, through suitable rods 32, actuates the valves 33 for controlling the flow of the combustible mixture to the cylinders, as shown on the left hand portion of FIG. 2. The camshaft, by means of rods 34 also actuates the exhaust valves 35, as shown on the right hand portion of FIG. 2, which control the flow 7 of products of combustion to the exhaust manifold 36. The intake manifold 37 for supplying the combustible mixture to the cylinders is suitably connected to the carburetor 38. Each spark plug Ed is mounted in the manner shown in a wall 39 of the combustion chamber and, where a recess or ignition chamber 21 is employed, the electrodes of the spark plug are positioned within the recess or ignition chamber in the manner shown and the recess or ignition chamber communicates with the combustion chamber of the cylinder on which it is mounted, whereby the gases exploded in the recess are projected into the main combustion chamber where the main charge is exploded when the piston is at or near top dead center.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, which illustrates my invention as applied to a system employing alternating current, a motor 49, which is suitably actuated, drives a genspeaaas erator 41 for providing the alternating current. One side of the generator is connected to the primary 42 of a transformer or coil. The other side of the generator is grounded, as indicated at 43, and is also connected to the other side of the primary coil 42 through a timing mechanism similar to that described in connection with FIGURE 1. This timer intermittently interrupts the flow of current from the source to the primary of the transformer or coil and this, in turn, provides timed high voltage current pulses to the current limiting means in the spark plug circuits, the timing of these pulses being directly related to the movement of the pistons in the cylinders. One side of the secondary of the transformer or coil is connected to ground, as indicated at 44, and the other side of the secondary is connected by a conductor 45 to each of the capacitors 46 in the spark plug circuits. The other side of each capacitor is connected to an electrode 47 of a spark plug and the other electrode is connected to ground through a conductor 48. In the system just described, the capacitors serve as current limiting means in substantially the same way as the resistors of the embodiment shown in Fl'GURE .1.

While this system employs timing mechanism for providing a timed spark, as stated above, it permits the elimination of the distributor, but, nevertheless, a high potentialspark is provided at the appropriate time in each of the cylinders to explode the compressed combustible mix therein.

While I have shown and described several embodiments of this invention, it will be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An ignition system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, a movable piston in each cylinder and means for actuating said pistons, comprising a spark plug, having spaced electrodes, for each cylinder, an ignition chamber for each cylinder in communication therewith, at least one of the electrodes of the spark plug for such cylinder being positioned in said ignition chamber, a source of high potential current, a current limiting means for each spark plug electrically connected to one of the electrodes of each spark plug, means for connecting all of said spark plugs and their individual current limiting means in parallel to said source of high potential current, and a timer electrically connected with said source of high potential current and mechanically connected with said piston actuating means for intermittently interrupting the flow of current from said source to said limiting means in timed relation with the movement of the pistons in said cylinders, said current limiting means being adapted to cause spark discharge in the cylinder of greatest pressure at the time of discharge.

2. An ignition system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, a movable piston in each cylinder and means for actuating said pistons, comprising a spark plug, having spaced electrodes, for each cylinder, an ignition chamber for each cylinder, one end of each ignition chamber communicating with a cylinder and the other end being adapted to receive a spark plug with the electrodes positioned within the ignition chamber, a coil having primary and secondary windings, connecting means for connecting one side of said second-1 ary Winding to an electrode of each of said spark plugs, whereby said spark plugs are connected in parallel relationship, said connecting means including a separate current limiting means in the electrical circuit to each of said spark plugs, means for supplying current to the primary winding of said coil, and a timer electrically connected to the primary winding of said coil and mechanically connected with said piston actuating means for intermittently interrupting the flow of current through said primary winding in timed relation with the movement of the pistons in said cylinders.

3. An ignition system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, a movable piston in each cylinder and means for actuating said pistons, comprising a spark plug, having spaced electrodes, for each cylinder, an ignition chamber for each cylinder, one end of each ignition chamber communicating with a cylinder and the other end being adapted to receive a spark plug with the electrodes positioned within the ignition chamber, a spark coilhaving primary and secondary windings, connecting means for connecting one side or" said secondary winding to an electrode of each of said spark plugs, whereby said spark plugs are connected in parallel relationship, said connecting means including a separate current limiting means in the electrical circuit to each of said spark plugs, means for supplying current to the primary winding of said spark coil, a timer electrically connected to the primary winding of said spark coil and mechanically connected with said piston actuating means for intermittently interrupting the flow of current through said primary winding in timed relation with the movement of the pistons in said cylinders, and connections for ground ing the interrupting means, the current supplying means, the secondary of the spark coil, andthe other electrode of each spark plug.

4 A distributor-less ignition system for engines with cylinders each equipped with a piston reciprocably movable therein, and having inertia means exterior of the cylinders and connected to each of said pistons for continuing movement thereof, said system comprising a spark plug for each cylinder, an ignition chamber for each cylinder in communication therewith, each said spark plug being mounted in its respective ignition chamber, a transformer having a two-terminal coil, a plurality of current limiting resistor means connected each at one end to a ditierent one of said spark plugs and connected at the other end by a permanent metallic connection to a corre sponding end of the other resistor means and one of the terminals on said transformer coil in common, said connections being arranged to connect each of said spark plugs in parallel electrical relationship, means for producing the DC. impulsing of said transformer comprising another coil thereon and an input circuit means for connecting a two-terminal DC. source in circuit with said other coil, and a timer included in said circuit so as to be in series with said other coil across the terminals of said D.C. source and mechanically connected with said piston-connected inertia means for intermittently interrupting the flow of current through said other coil in timed relation with the movement of the pistons in said cylinders, the components of said system being otherwise free from connection with said inertia means, said current limiting means being adapted to cause spark discharge irr the cylinder of greatest pressure at the time of discharge.

5. A distributor-less ignition system for engines with cylinders each equipped with a piston reciprocably movable therein, and having inertia means exterior of the cylinders and connected to each of said pistons for continuing movement thereof, said system comprising a spark plug for each of said cylinders, an ignition chamber for each cylinder, one end of each ignition chamber communicating with its respective cylinder and. the other end being arranged to support a spark plug, a transformer having a two-terminal coil, a plurality of current limiting capacitor means connected each at one end to a different one of said spark plugs and connected at the other end by a permanent metallic connection both to a corresponding end of the other capacitor means and to one of the terminals on said transformer coil in common, said connections being arranged to connect said spark plugs in parallel electrical relationship, means producing the AC. impulsing of said transformer comprising another coil thereon and an input circuit means for connecting a two- 5 terminal A.C. source in circuit with said other coil, and a timer included in said circuit so as to be in series with said other coil across the terminals of said A.C. source, and mechanically connected with said piston-connected inertia means for intermittently interrupting the flow of current through said other coil in timed relation with movement of the pistons in said cyiinders, the components of said system being otherwise free from connection with said inertia means, said current limiting means being adapted to cause spark discharge in the cylinder of greatest pressure at the time of discharge.

6. An ignition system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, a movable piston in each cylinder and means for actuating said pistons, comprising a spark plug, having spaced electrodes, for each of said cylinders, an ignition chamber for and in communication with each of said cylinders and having the electrodes of the spark plugs positioned therein, a transformer forming a source of high tension current and having a low tension circuit with circuit connections in the input of the transformer, a current limiting means for each spark plug and electrically connected to one of said electrodes of each spark plug, means for simultaneously connecting said source of high tension current to all of said current limiting means, said connecting means being arranged to connect said current limiting means in parallel relation, and a timer included among the connections in said input circuit to form a make-andbreak for operating the transformer forming said source of high tension current, said timer being mechanically connected With said piston actuating means for rapidly releasing and repetitively restoring flux energy in said transformer thereby intermittently interrupting the flow of current from said source to said current limiting means in timed relation with the movement of the pistons in said cylinders.

7. An ignition system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, a movable piston in each cylinder and means for actuating said pistons, comprising a spark plug, having spaced electrodes, for each cylinder, an ignition chamber for each cylinder, one end being arranged to connect said spark plugs in parallel relation, and a timer included among the connections in said input circuit to form a make-and-break for operating the transformer forming said source of high tension current, said timer being mechanically connected with said piston actuating means for rapidly releasing the repetitively restoring flux energy in said transformer thereby intermittently interrupting the flow of current from said source to said current limiting means in timed relation with the movement of the pistons in said cylinuders.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,359,591 Girnes NOV. 23, 1920 1,393,636 Murray Oct. 11, 1 1 1,466,209 Eichbaum Aug. 28, 1 3 1,523,454 Sheperd Jan. 20, 1925 1,900,022 Nuttall Mar. 7, 1933 2,016,023 Price Oct. 1, 1935 2,041,708 Harper May 26, 1936 2,227,714 Holthouse Jan. 7, 1941 2,238,852 Regar Apr. 15, 1941 2,436,905 Short Mar. 2, 1948 2,534,860 Fisher Dec. 19, 1950 2,826,187 Meyer Mar. 11, 1958 2,866,839 Kaehni Dec. 30, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 464,179 Great Britain Apr. 13, 1937 466,694 Great Britain June 2, 1937 

